Mobile cleaning devices



Jan. 15, 1963 R. M- KELLY MOBILE CLEANING DEVICES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 10, 1958 INVENTOR l4 ROYCE MAXWELL KELLY 6 ATTORNEYS Jan. 15, 1963 R. M. KELLY ,940

MOBILE CLEANING DEVICES Filed Nov. 10, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet. 2

INVENTOR 2s 26 ROYCE MAXWELL KELLY United States Patent 3,072,940 MOBILE CLEANING DEVICES Royce Maxwell Kelly, 36 Byron St., Greymouth, New Zealand Filed Nov. 10, 1958, Ser. No. 772,970 8 Claims. (Cl. 15-49) This invention relates to mobile cleaning devices, and more particularly has reference to mobile cleaning devices which are made especially suitable for cleaning shaped articles such as corrugated roofs.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved mobile cleaning device which is designed and constructed so as to be portable, and which is simple and easy to apply and to use by an operator.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved mobile cleaning device which is adjustable for the cleaning of shaped roofs and to allow for wearing of the cleaning means and wherein the roofing materials may be varied in contour and formation.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved mobile cleaning device for use with shaped articles, and a device which while in use cleans roofs quickly and usually more effectively than when the cleaning is done by hand brushing.

According to this invention the improved mobile cleaning device comprises a frame, wheels pivotally mounted in relation to the frame, a cleaning means axially mounted and arranged for turning on the frame, and a motor for driving the axially mounted cleaning means while it is mounted on the frame, the cleaning means being capable of cleaning an article as the cleaning device is wheeled along and over a shaped surface of an article and as the cleaning means is engaging with the article.

The invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of the cleaning device with its forward end raised on its front wheels and the cover shown broken and in dotted outline, in its raised position,

FIGURE 2 is a plan of FIGURE 1 with the cover removed and showing the cleaning means,

FIGURE 3 is the front end elevationwith the cover removed,

FIGURE 4 is a part side elevation as in FIGURE 1 but showing the forward end lowered on its front wheels,

FIGURE 5 is a part plan of one form of a cleaning means,

FIGURE 6 is an end elevation of FIGURE 5, and

FIGURE 7 is a part plan of another form of the cleaning means.

Referring to the drawings, in FIGURES 1, 2, 3, and, 4,

the frame of the device is indicated generally by the arrow 1, and the frame 1 has longitudinal side members 2 joined at their ends by transverse members 3 and 3a which hold the side members 2 in parallel relationship. The frame 1 is supported from the ground by front ground wheels 4 and rear ground wheels 5 all turnably mounted in relation to the longitudinal side members 2. Such mounting of the rear ground wheels 5 is provided for by .the rear ends of the side members 2 having holes to take an axle 6 on which the rear wheels 5 are turnably mounted, the side members 2 providing engaging surfaces for nuts 6a which are screw-threaded on the ends of the axles 6 of the wheels 5 to retain the axle 6 in the side members 2. The outer ends of the axle 6, have plates 7 pivotally arranged thereon in relation to the frame and the plates 7 form the lower ends of handles 8 by which the device is manipulated by an operator. Each plate 7 is supported on outer ends of the axle 6 also by nuts 9 screw-threaded on the transverse member 3a in the side member 2, and the plates 7 have arcuate slots 10 which permit the plates 7 to move on the outer ends of the member 3a when the plates 7 are pivoted on their common axle 6 whereby the adjusting the plate 7 on the axle 6 and the outer ends of the member 3a permits the handles 8 to be arranged to suit the requirements of an operator, and after adjustment the nuts 9 and the nuts 6a are tightened to hold the plate 7 on the side members 2.

Also the front ends of the side members 2 are holed to support the cross member 3 which is in the form of a spindle and has arms 12 and 13, with stub axles 14 and 15 turnably carrying the front wheels 4 so that turning the spindle 3 moves the arms 12 and 13, to raise or lower the front end of the frame 1 on the front wheels 4 and away from or closer to the ground as desired by an operator. To make such adjustments in the elevation of the front end of the frame 1 the arm 12 is in the form of a bell crank lever pivoting with the end of the spindle 3 as shown in FIGURE 1, so that the front ground wheels can be moved in unison, and the free end of the arm 12 is engaged by a Bowden wire 16 having a sheath 17 anchored at 18 to its side member 2, and the Bowden wire 16 is controlled by a handle-lever 19 (see FIGURE 3) pivoted at one endto a handle 8 and with its other or free end engaging in a rack 20 on the other handle (see FIGURE 1.) By placing the handle-lever 19 in a desired position in the rack 20, the Bowden wire 16 operates to move the arm 12 and turn the spindle 3 which presses the wheels 4 on to the ground whereby the front .end of the device is raised or lowered in relation to the ground as shown in FIGURE 1; and in adjusting the front end of the frame 1 in relation to the ground so also the distance between the frame 1 and an article beneath the device is varied and more particularly the frame 1 with its cleaning means is adjusted in relation to a desired working and cleaning position on and distanced from the article so that allowance can be made. for wear in the cleaning means and to. ensure that the cleaning means is suitably related to the cleaning work, effected by the cleaning means. Thus from a position shown in FIG- URE 1, the hand lever 19 is moved to a position shown in FIGURE 3 so that the Bowden wire 16 is pulled rearwardly to pivot the bell crank lever 12 to place the wheels 4 in their lowered position and the front end of frame 1 in its raised position by turning the spindle 3 so that the wheels 4 are lowered together and against the influence of a' spring 21 which is placed in tension as shown in dotted outline to FIGURE 1. Release of the handle-lever 19 in the rack 20 permits the spring 21, assisted by the weight of the device, to turn the spindle 3 so that the front end of the device is lowered to the position as shown in FIGURE 4.

Further as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3, the rear wheels 5 are situated inboard of the side members 2, while the front wheels 4 are outboard of the frame 1 of the device, and in a preferred arrangement the difference in situation of the front and rear wheels permits the device to travel lengthwise in the parallel grooves of a corrugated across the frame 1 with an aXle 23 arranged for turning in bearings 24b, providedin the longitudinal side members 2. The bearings 24b have grease nipples 24a.

As shown in FIGURES 2, 3, 5 and. 6, he cleaning means is situated aboutfa squared central part 24 attached to the axle 23, and as shown more particularly in detail in FIGURES and 6, plates 25 are bolted to the squared central part 24; and the outer free edges of the plates 25 have bristles or wire brushes 26 which being radially mounted turn with the axle 23, and the bristles or wire brushes 26 engage the surface of an article as shown in FIGURES 1, 3 and 4. Where the bristles or wire brushes 26 are intended for cleaning a corrugated surface, then ,the brushes or bristles 26 and their plates 25 are provided gvith hill and valley edges as shown in FIGURES 2, 3,

and 7.

As shown in the FIGURES 2 and 3 of the drawings, the bristles or wire brushes 26 are held in wooden backs 27 which are interchangeable and are attached by bolts --28 to the plates 25 so that the bristles or wire brushes 26 can be changed and renewed easily and quickly as the bristles or wire brushes 26 wear down, and then the front end of the device can not be lowered on the wheels .4 further down on to the article to maintain the bristle .or wire brushes 26 in contact with the surface which is .being cleaned.

As shown in FIGURE 7, the bristles or wire brushes 26 can be held in equally spaced rows across a ground, corrugated roller or former 29.

Thus, in this invention the cleaning means has plates 25 or formers 29 which are shaped along their lengths with 'a formation having a wavy or corrugated pattern or otherwise conforming to the shape of the article being cleaned such as the usual corrugations of roofing in the form of roofing iron or the like, so that the bristles or wirebrushes 26 being of equal length and attached longitudinally along the shaped former and near to the waved for corrugated edge of the shaped former will provide a brushing and cleaning edge of a waved and corrugated formation at their outer ends.

As illustrated in FIGURESI, 2 and 3 the axle 23 of the cleaning means is provided with a driven pulley 30 and a belt -31 coupled to a driving pulley 32 of a power motor 33 which is mounted on a transverse platform 34 situated between the side members 2 and above the transverse member 3a. Energising the motor 33 through a switch 35 on the handle 8 causes the turnable axle 23 to turn and carry the bristles and brushes 26 round for cleaning a surface such as a roof as the cleaning device is wheeled over an iron roof in the direction of the corrugations and the brushes'or bristles 26 contact the roof, to brush and clean the roof as required.

As shown more particularly in FIGURES 1 and 4 of the drawings, thef'rame has a housing or cover 36 enclosing the cleaning brushes or bristles 26 and the driven "pulley 30 and the driving pulley 32 and the belt 31; and the cover 36 is arranged to be pivoted to a raised position shown in dotted outline in FIGURE 1 by releasing a rear flange 37 from the platform 34 and pivoting the cover 36 by its curled forward edge 38 FIGURE 1, embracing and turning on the front transverse member or spindle 3. In its raised position as shown in FIGURE 1, the cover =36gi'ves convenient access to the brushes or bristles 26 for changing or renewing them.

For cleaning contour surfaces the device may be fittedwith larger wheels to raise the central part of the device above the convex surface such as the exterior of a large pipe, and the brushes or bristles 26 are then arranged as -a large concave to fit the surface to be brushed and cleaned. i a By this invention there is provided an improved mobile cleaning device for use on shaped surfaces such as corrugated iron roofs,- and the device is simple and easy to apply and to use by wheeling over a surface inperform- 'ing' the cleaning operations of such shaped surfaces quickly 'and effectively as compared with cleaning carried out by "brushing the surface by hand of an operator..

.What I do claim 'and desire to obtain by Letters Patent of United States of America is:

1. A- mobile cleaning device comprising longitudinal side mem'bers each having a frontand a rear end, rotary cleaning means carried by said side members near the front ends of said side members, transverse members joining the side members to hold the longitudinal side members in spaced parallel relationship, front ground wheels and rear ground wheels rotatably mounted respectively at the front and rear ends of said longitudinal side members, said side members being provided with holes to support a spindle having an arm with a stub axle spaced from said spindle at each end, said stub axles turnably carrying the front ground wheels so that turning the spindle in the holes moves the arms to raise -or lower the front end of the frame on the front wheels and in relation to the ground as desired by an operator, one said arm being in the form of a bell crank lever pivoting with the spindle and providing a second arm extending from said spindle and a Bowden wire encased in a sheath connected to said second arm at One end, said sheath being anchored to a side member, and a hand lever secured to the other end of the Bowden wire whereby said wire is controlled, and a spring engaging said arms to bias said arms in a direction to lower the front end of the cleaning device, said rear ground wheels being mounted on an axle extending between the rear ends of said side members, plates pivotally mounted on said axle of the rear ground wheels to form the lower ends of handles by which the cleaning device is manipulated, said plates being provided with bolt and arcuate slot means for adjustment of saidhandles to suit an operator[ 4 2. A mobile cleaning device comprising longitudinal side members'each having a front and a rear end, rotary cleaning means carried by said side members near the front ends of said side members, transverse members joining the side members to hold the longitudinal side members in spaced parallel relationship, front ground wheels and rear ground wheels rotatably mounted respectively at the front and rear ends of said longitudinal side members, said side members being provided with holes to support a spindle having an arm with a stub axle spaced from saidspindle at each 'end, said stub axles turnably carrying the front ground'wheels so that turning the spindle in the holes moves the arms to raise or lower the front end of the frame on the front-wheels and in relation to the ground as desired by an operator, said rear ground wheels being mountedon an axle extending between the rear ends of said side members, plates pivotally mounted on said axle of the rear ground wheels to form the lower ends of handles by which the cleaning device is manipulated, said plates being provided with bolt and arcuate slot means for adjustment of said handles to suit an operator, wherein said rear wheels are situated inboard of the side members and the front wheels are outboard of the side members of the frame to permit the front and rear wheels to travel lengthwise in parallel grooves of an atrticle and permit a cleaning means placed out from and beyond the rear wheels to clean up to the edge of an article, said rotary cleaning means being mounted on an axle arranged for turning in the frame, said 'axle being positioned transversely across the frame and bearings for said axle provided'in the longitudinal side members, said rotary cleaning means including a central part attached to the 'axle, plates bolted to the squared central part, and outer free edges of the plates having bristles which, being 'radially mounted, turn with the axle whereby the bristles can engage the surface of an article to clean the latter.

.3. A mobile cleaning device as claimed in claim Z, wherein the bristles and their plates are provided with bill and valley edges for the purpose of cleaning .corjside members each having a front and a rear end, rotary cleaning means carried by said side members near the front ends of said side members, transverse members joining the side members to hold the longitudinal side members in spaced parallel relationship, front ground wheels and rear ground Wheels rotatably mounted respectively at the front and rear ends of said longitudinal side members, said side members being provided with holes to support a spindle having an arm with a stub axle spaced from said spindle at each end, said stub axles turnably carrying the front ground wheels so that turning the spindle in the holes moves the arms to raise or lower the front end of the frame on the front wheels and in relation to the ground as desired by an operator, said rear ground wheels being mounted on an axle extending between the rear ends of said side members, plates pivotally mounted on said axle of the rear ground wheels to form the lower ends of handles by which the cleaning device is manipulated, said plates being provided With bolt and arcuate slot means for adjustment of said handles to suit an operator, said rear wheels being situated inboard of the side members and the front wheels outboard of the side members of the frame to permit the front and rear Wheels to travel lengthwise in parallel grooves of an article and permit a cleaning means placed out from and beyond the rear wheels to clean up to the edge of an article, said rotary cleaning means being mounted on an axle arranged for turning in the frame, said axle being positioned transversely across the frame, and bearings for said axle provided in the longitudinal side members, the rotary cleaning means comprising wire bristles held in equally spaced rows along a round corrugated former.

6. A mobile cleaning device as claimed in claim 5,

wherein the bristles are of equal length and attached longitudinally along the shaped former and near to the waved or corrugated edge of the shaped former to provide a cleaning edge of a waved or corrugated formation at the outer ends of the cleaning means.

7. A mobile cleaning device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the cleaning means is provided with a driven pulley, a motor and a belt coupled to a driving pulley of the motor which is mounted on a transverse platform situated between the side members and above the rear transverse member.

8. A mobile cleaning device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the frame has a cover, said cover enclosing the cleaning brushes, the driven pulley, and the driving pulley, said cover terminating at its forward edge with a portion embracing the front spindle to form a hinge on which said cover may be pivoted as it is lifted to provide access to said cleaning brushes and pulleys.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 597,187 Larson Jan. 11, 1898 1,564,388 Westvig Dec. 8, 1925 1,716,453 McCurdy June 11, 1929 1,767,983 Hughes June 24, 1930 1,791,812 Harrison Feb. 10, 1931 1,845,315 Meikle Feb. 16, 1932 1,891,175 Petersen Dec. 13, 1932 1,963,139 Mattoon June 19, 1934 1,969,805 Lang Aug. 14, 1934 2,275,356 Funk Mar. 3, 1942 2,534,969 Hauser Dec. 19, 1950 2,536,902 Beckett Jan. 2, 1951 2,689,367 Parker Sept. 21, 1954 

1. A MOBILE CLEANING DEVICE COMPRISING LONGITUDINAL SIDE MEMBERS EACH HAVING A FRONT AND A REAR END, ROTARY CLEANING MEANS CARRIED BY SAID SIDE MEMBERS NEAR THE FRONT ENDS OF SAID SIDE MEMBERS, TRANSVERSE MEMBERS JOINING THE SIDE MEMBERS TO HOLD THE LONGITUDINAL SIDE MEMBERS IN SPACED PARALLEL RELATIONSHIP, FRONT GROUND WHEELS AND REAR GROUND WHEELS ROTATABLY MOUNTED RESPECTIVELY AT THE FRONT AND REAR ENDS OF SAID LONGITUDINAL SIDE MEMBERS, SAID SIDE MEMBERS BEING PROVIDED WITH HOLES TO SUPPORT A SPINDLE HAVING AN ARM WITH A STUB AXLE SPACED FROM SAID SPINDLE AT EACH END, SAID STUB AXLES TURNABLY CARRYING THE FRONT GROUND WHEELS SO THAT TURNING THE SPINDLE IN THE HOLES MOVES THE ARMS TO RAISE OR LOWER THE FRONT END OF THE FRAME ON THE FRONT WHEELS AND IN RELATION TO THE GROUND AS DESIRED BY AN OPERATOR, ONE SAID ARM BEING IN THE FORM OF A BELL CRANK LEVER PIVOTING WITH THE SPINDLE AND PROVIDING A SECOND ARM EXTENDING FROM SAID SPINDLE AND A BOWDEN WIRE ENCASED IN A SHEATH CONNECTED TO SAID SECOND ARM AT ONE END, SAID SHEATH BEING ANCHORED TO A SIDE MEMBER, AND A HAND LEVER SECURED TO THE OTHER END OF THE BOWDEN WIRE WHEREBY SAID WIRE IS CONTROLLED, AND A SPRING ENGAGING SAID ARMS TO BIAS SAID ARMS IN A DIRECTION TO LOWER THE FRONT END OF THE CLEANING DEVICE, SAID REAR GROUND WHEELS BEING MOUNTED ON AN AXLE EXTENDING BETWEEN THE REAR ENDS OF SAID SIDE MEMBERS, PLATES PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID AXLE OF THE REAR GROUND WHEELS TO FORM THE LOWER ENDS OF HANDLES BY WHICH THE CLEANING DEVICE IS MANIPULATED, SAID PLATES BEING PROVIDED WITH BOLT AND ARCUATE SLOT MEANS FOR ADJUSTMENT OF SAID HANDLES TO SUIT AN OPERATOR. 